It was never going to be a universally popular decision for Sunshine to leave sub-district cricket.
The Crows turned their back on years of history in the competition to leave for a league considered to be a step down.
The hard decision had to be made because the Crows were fast becoming the whipping boys of the subbies.
Quite simply, the Crows could not compete financially in a tough marketplace, so wins were becoming few and far between.
The choice was made to reinvigorate the club in the VTCA.
“It’s a great thing for the club if you ask me,” Crows captain-coach Troy Stone said.
“I was one who was aiming to push the club a little bit sideways to the VTCA because we need to get some respect back amongst the community.
“We couldn’t compete any longer in the subbies with the cashflow going around and big name recruits.
“At the start of the year, you look at the fixture and for us the last couple of years you couldn’t really pencil in many games where you thought you could be competitive and win games.”
Sunshine exhausted all of its options in trying to be competitive in sub-district cricket.
The Crows tried to develop their own and when those players matured they generally headed for the exit door.
They brought in overseas imports, which proved hit and miss.
Those veterans who stuck by the club were getting little reward for their loyalty.
“We’ve tried everything,” Stone said.
“We’ve developed kids and they’ve got poached.
“We had four young kids running around in first and second XIs for other sub-district sides.
“We just couldn’t keep hold of them.
“It all comes down to winning games and young kids these days don’t want to essentially stick in and do the hard yards.”
Sunshine’s spot in sub-district cricket was taken by Taylors Lakes, so there is still a Brimbank presence in the state’s second tier cricket competition.
What is surprising is seeing Sunshine inserted into the north A1 – the fourth tier of the VTCA.
“That’s a little bit low, but we can only work our way up,” Stone said.
“We didn’t request to be put down there, but we requested to be play somewhere where we thought we could have success.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to start somewhere and if that’s where it is, that’s where it is.
“It creates enthusiasm, we can blood some of the younger kids, who might’ve left if we stayed in subbies.
“It’s a challenge for our playing group and we need to step up.”
